What rudiments should I be working on?

Leftie117

Junior Member
I've been working on paradiddles and double stroke rolls, and have started working on flams. My question is, as a lower level inexperienced drummer, what rudiments should I be focusing on/ incorporating into my playing? Also, links to lessons on alternate stickings/ fills/beats, ect would be very much appreciated.
 
practice all of them .... it seems like a lot but they are all nothing more than combinations of singles, doubles, flams, and drags

and don't try to force them into your playing

nothing's worse than someone who sounds like they are practicing when they are playing music .... and that is what happens when you try to force rudiments into your drumming

let them come to you

just practice them... string them together...change the accent patterns.... change the subdivisions... figure out which ones really speak to you and flow off your hands nicely

eventually some will naturally bleed into your playing subconsciously

just don't try to force them there..... nothing is more obvious and horrible sounding... at least to me.... than some rudiments forced into music

a wise man once told me two things that pertain to this topic

1) practice something until the snail runs over it... then forget it .... ( meaning as soon as it leaves a residue you are done with it and it will show itself when it needs to)

2) practice what you play , don't play what you practice
 
As an intermediate drummer myself, I think keeping it simple goes along way. One of the most valuable tips that I have learned to appreciate. Too many drummers try to do drum solos in the middle of songs. Only play with what flows with the song. Your drums should enhance the other musicians playing ability along with complementing the singers.

When I listen to music from different bands, I like to hear that constant and steady beat. Not so much the fills and thrills. They are good when the song requires it (do not get me wrong), but that consistency in time is even better.

Agree with WhoIsTony in "don't try to force them into your playing".
 
practice all of them

Couldn't agree more.

You're obviously on the right track. Select a couple and work through them, then when they become comfortable, select a couple more and get started. You'll find that as you progress through them and your hands start to develop, they become easier to get a handle on.
 
Indeed. Practice all of them. Slowly. Learn control.

You're going to learn a rudiment (paradiddle for example) till you think you've mastered it. Then you're going to apply the rudiment on top of some ostinato. Then you're going to realize that you need to re-learn the rudiment. Then you'll master it. Then you'll need to accent the second strike instead of the first, and go back to step one to relearn it. and the cycle repeats till you've filled most of the coordination gaps.

Take a peek... Here's 6 months into your future.
http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119975.
 
Single strokes. It might seem silly, but it's not. That's the first rudiment you should learn, and it can be used for anything. Practice those single more than anything. You'll see what I mean if you do it. Also, you could watch this silly rudiment series I'm putting together, if you felt like a laugh. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3zijfroYCI
 
Single strokes. It might seem silly, but it's not. That's the first rudiment you should learn, and it can be used for anything. Practice those single more than anything. You'll see what I mean if you do it. Also, you could watch this silly rudiment series I'm putting together, if you felt like a laugh. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3zijfroYCI

In total agreement. You can play anything you want with a great, fast, even, clean SSR. The SSR is the hardest rudiment IMO. At high speeds, it's just balls to the wall with everything you have, guns a-blazing. One could spend years on this one rudiment alone, because it's really hard to pull off smoothly. I used to focus in on it heavily, but I realized I was putting the cart before the horse. In order to do good singles, (for me anyway) I had to get my left hand on par with my right. I will be returning to focusing on the SSR soon. I'm close enough in equality now.

Double strokes is another gem of a rudiment, so useful and they sound so good. Good singles and good doubles before anything else is my personal plan. Then flams. After I'm satisfied with those 3, I will focus on the all the various combinations. I want to get the individual components happening on their own before I start focusing on combining.
 
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